2019 IHF Awards

🏆 SILVER

Austco Excellence Award For Quality & Patient-Centered Care

Changi General Hospital

Driving A Culture of Quality Improvement – The CGH Kaizen Everyday Engagement Programme (KEEP) Journey

“Small Action + Passion = Big Change” - CGH has successfully transformed its workplace culture through an innovative ground-up improvement initiative that proves small changes can yield remarkable results. By employing visual Kaizen boards across departments, staff at all levels were able to freely identify challenges and implement solutions, and has revolutionised how frontline healthcare staff contribute to operational excellence.

The initiative's success is exemplified by numerous impactful innovations, including the introduction of tamper-proof bags for patient belongings - a solution that eliminated time-consuming manual recording processes and was subsequently adopted across hospitals within SingHealth. The programme's strength lies in its accessibility and immediate impact. Staff-led improvements, from modified medical supply carriers to innovative patient mobility solutions, demonstrate how small, cost-effective changes can significantly enhance both staff efficiency and patient care. The initiative has fostered a culture where every employee feels empowered to contribute to workplace improvement.

Driving a culture of quality improvement within CGH showcases how empowering frontline staff can lead to meaningful healthcare innovations.

🏅 MERIT

Excellence Award For Leadership And Management

Tan Tock Seng Hospital

Frequent Readmitter Programme – Holistic Multi-Disciplinary Approach for Frequent Readmitters

The Frequent Readmitter (FR) Programme was established to develop effective and robust processes for proactive identification and management of patients with a pre-determined number of readmission episodes within a year.The committee gleaned insights on common FR profiles and past interventions from initial case reviews to elicit four main patient profiles which are used to guide patient identification and recommended interventions. The team also recognised the need for a holistic approach involving different care providers across inpatient, outpatient and community settings.

Today, with the appointment of a Primary Doctor (PD), oversight of patient care plans and admissions has not only enabled relationship building and gathering of consensus among a diverse team, but also serves as a platform to discuss perspectives and align care goals for patients’ benefit. Care plans not only address medical needs, but also the social and support needs of the patient.

The FR Programme remains as one of TTSH's strategic projects, with hospital readmissions during the period of January to October 2018 reflected a 60% reduction in the number of patients with >7 readmission episodes, and 3066 patient days avoided with a projected cost avoidance of $3,066,000.